Why We’re Both Here Today

I graduated college in May, 2004. Started playing pro ball in September, 2005.

In that “gap year,” I worked two jobs: Foot Locker assistant manager, and Bally Total Fitness membership salesperson.

My basketball career (the pro chapter) popped off because, in June 2005, I went to an athlete’s job fair — known as an “exposure camp” — and played well.

Let me share how and why my attendance at that event even happened.

The exposure camp I attended took place over a Saturday and Sunday in Orlando, FL. At this time I was still based in my hometown of Philadelphia, PA and working for Bally.

If you ever worked in retail, you know that NOBODY gets the full weekend off. Everyone has to work at least one — and oftentimes, two — days between Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

To attend this exposure camp, I’d need all three days off. In short, I needed to be granted an exception from the rules.

Steve was the sales manager and my boss at Bally. He’d hired me and I’d become the top salesperson in the gym by the summer of 2005. Bally was a mostly-commission job, and the sales managers were paid based on the sales their staff did.

In other words, Steve’s salary was affected by the gym’s sales volume. And I was his top producer.

The money-focused, selfish thing for Steve would be to NOT grant me a 3-day respite. It would’ve helped his bank account to have me working (by denying my…